Robust correlation based auto-target tracking for armoured fighting vehicles

Real time target tracking is a serious and complex application. Target tracking is one of the essential steps for surveillance. Auto-target tracker (ATT) is one of improvement in armoured fighting vehicles. The objective of an auto-target tracking system is to maintain a stable image sensor-to-target line of sight in the presence of relative target motion and base motion disturbance to the sensor platform due to harsh terrain conditions in the war field. ATT aids the Gunner to track the target automatically using real time video acquired from the camera to Main Sight System. ATT performs Normalized Correlation algorithm on real time video and generates error signal owing to displacement of target with respect to tracking window. This error signal replaces the Gunner´s command signal. The proposed technique ensures robust tracking of the ground target based on correlation with the reference image captured in clutter background in the war field.